The Bay Horse Tavern is a modern take on a Victorian pub on Thomas Street, in the heart of Manchester's Northern Quarter, with roots back to an 1812 licence at the address. Live music has always been part of its identity, and it programmes weekly music events — from open-mic nights to rotating DJs and vinyl evenings. The open mic runs on Wednesdays (currently hosted by Jamie & Guests, previously by singer-songwriter Izzie Walsh) from around 8pm in the small, intimate basement room, which holds roughly 80. With a PA and guitar amp provided it's an accessible grassroots stage for local talent, welcoming both originals and covers, alongside a food menu of pies, brunches and Sunday roasts.
Northern Quarter · Every Thursday · Free
The Bay Horse Tavern Open Mic
Northern Quarter's Wednesday-night free acoustic open mic at 35-37 Thomas Street, M4 1NA — small back room, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.
Open mic at a glance The Bay Horse Tavern · Manchester
Thursday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Manchester open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Bay Horse Tavern Open Mic — Quick Facts
Northern Quarter's Wednesday-night free acoustic open mic at 35-37 Thomas Street, M4 1NA — small back room, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacityc. 80 standing
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Bay Horse Tavern35-37 Thomas Street
Northern Quarter
Manchester M4 1NA
Northern Quarter, Manchester — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
What’s on in Manchester this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About The Bay Horse Tavern
About This Open Mic
Every Thursday in Northern Quarter, Manchester
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Manchester open mic directory
The Night
The Bay Horse Tavern is a modern take on a Victorian pub right in the heart of Manchester's Northern Quarter, on Thomas Street. Its weekly open mic runs every Thursday from 8pm to 11:30pm, hosted by award-winning singer-songwriter Izzie Walsh, and it's a reliable spot to catch some of the best emerging musical talent in the city. Free to attend and play, with £5 G&Ts from 10pm.
Getting there
35-37 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1NA. About 5 minutes from Piccadilly Gardens.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Bay Horse Tavern’s Thursday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
23:30Last songs
00:00Venue closes
Every Thursday 12-min slots Free entry
Find The Bay Horse Tavern
35-37 Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1NA
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 23:30. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Manchester live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Manchester's The Bay Horse Tavern open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Manchester open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Manchester mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
35-37 Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1NA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Manchester regulars across the Manchester open mic scene. Manchester open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Keep up with Manchester
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Manchester
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Manchester. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in Manchester over the next four weeks →
Booking or playing in Manchester? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
Run an open mic in Manchester?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, verified within 48 hours. Reach 1,000+ Manchester musicians.
Looking for paid gigs, not open mics?